The Queen of Grado
by Magmoor
Summary: Grado has a new ruler. The nation unites behind the young girl from Silva. However, the Empress of Grado now has to contend with General troubles, the people's thoughts and one woman who will stop at nothing to get her hands on Amelia's title. FE not mine
1. The Queen of Grado

The Queen Of Grado. Part 1 of 3

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><p>Amelia was ecstatic about the news she had just been given. Due to the complete annihilation of the Grado royal family, a new ruler would need to be chosen. L'arachel, Eirika, Innes, Ephraim and Joshua had all agreed that one of the volunteer army that slew Fomortiis should take the throne. Duessel vehemently declined, Knoll had vanished and Cormag and Natasha were married to other rulers, leaving only the young girl from Silva to take over the monarchy. Amelia paled at the thought, but was at the time silently overjoyed. She had achieved her goal of Grado's finest warrior, as had been told to her multiple times during the war, and now she would be queen of Grado to boot.<p>

The reconstruction of Grado Keep was finished, and the rest of the country was almost restored, so Amelia moved in quickly. She had very few possessions, so there was no baggage to carry. She took only her armour and a few clothes sets, as well as some money sent by the other nations. On her first day on the throne, she was met by Duessel, the only surviving general of the war. She was one of his only friends, and, despite her affections for Franz, she could enjoy his company too. She had considered marrying Franz, but preferred to remain single until Grado was back on its feet.

Duessel was kneeling in front of her.

"Milady Amelia."

"Duessel, please stand."

"But your majesty, it is proper for you to have people bow to you."

"But you're a good friend of mine! It makes me feel uncomfortable!"

"As you command. Now, I have some matters to discuss. Firstly, the people want to know who you are going to appoint as your generals. It is tradition for at least three generals to be appointed, and they must all take the name of one of Grado's precious stones."

"You mean like Glen, Serena and yourself?"

"And Valter, Riev and Caellach, yes."

"Okey-doke, Duessel, are you willing to continue your services as Obsidian, to me instead of Vigarde?"

"I am, your highness."

"Do I have to give you anything? Say some magic words? Hit you with a sword?"

"No. I was already dubbed Obsidian, and words alone will suffice."

"Okay, I say Cormag can be the new Sunstone, Natasha the new Flourspar and Knoll the new Moonstone."

"Not possible, my lady Amelia. Cormag is engaged to Tana, and currently in the service of the Frelian knights. Natasha is Queen of Jehanna, and Knoll disappeared two months ago. The search is still on for him, but he is proving...elusive, to say the last."

"In that case we shall need to find new talent. It's a pity, because I really wanted one of my friends to be a general. Sorry! I meant besides you, Duessel. Of course you're my friend!"

"Thank you, milady. However, if you remember Caellach's nationality was Jehannan, and still he was made a general, if only for his battle prowess rather than his...personality. I suggest at least one more should be from another nation, if only to increase our relations."

"In that case I pick Seth."

"Rather difficult, your highness, as Seth is a sworn knight of Renais, and is currently in line to wed Eirika. I doubt he would throw that away to move to Grado."

"Franz then."

"If I may, I wonder if having two great knights is a good decision. Vigarde had two mages, two dedicated weapon-users and two flyers. Across them, he could use every weapon and magic available, except the bow and dark magic."

"Then how about Artur? Or Saleh? Or Ewan? Maybe Saleh and Ewan? Maybe Artur and Ewan?"

"Milady, you will need to ask these people if they consent."

"In that case, we'll have a party when we've finished. Should I call it a banquet now I'm queen?"

"Lady-"Duessel was cut off as Amelia continued to talk to herself.

"I'll invite them all. All of the friends. Then we can pick the best people to be generals."

"Your highness, it would not be wise to have the generals mostly from outside Grado. With your permission I will go and scour the country for talented people to recruit as Generals."

"Of course."

Duessel left without a word. Amelia, still light-headed and dizzy from her sudden ascension to royalty, went into her chambers. She decided to play a practical joke. She summoned a few of her maids, and discussed the plan with them.

A general left the castle that day, clad not in the reddish-pink armour Amelia had got so used to wearing, but in a strange greenish colour. The general went down into the nearby village, heavily oversized word slung across its back. The general went into the tavern, and sat down at one of the tables. A man came over to her and asked her what she was doing.

"I'm a mercenary looking for a job," She lied, "and I heard there were some people around here who needed one." Amelia had faked a gruff voice to disguise her own, timid voice. She was trembling, and terrified the armour would start to clang together, but she continued her show of confidence. She had in fact heard nothing of the sort, but made an educated guess.

"You've heard wrong, your highness," said the man in a hushed tone, "and people like you really should remain in the castles." Amelia's face flickered under the helmet, but she tried to maintain the rapidly crumbling facade.

"You've got me confused with somebody else."

"Definitely not, miss Amelia. I know that armour anywhere, colour irrelevant. That dent in the left shoulder. I made that dent at Bethroen."

"I'm sorry, but Amelia threw out this armour when she rose to become queen. I found it and repainted it."

"Oh. Go on then, let's see your face."

Amelia knew she was in a corner, but she was saved by a commotion from upstairs. A man came through the banister and landed on her table. The wood crunched underneath him, and he clutched the broken remains of what had once been a killing edge. His hair was an orangey colour, but Amelia realised it was actually blonde, streaked with blood. She looked up to see who had thrown this man. A tanned fighter stood up there, a devil axe slung across his shoulder. He wore a tunic that was ripped in multiple places, and a freshly made scar ran down his cheek. Amelia stood up and pulled her sword out.

"Leave." She said in her nastiest voice possible.

The fighter responded by leaping down. Amelia grabbed the fallen man and twisted him out of the way. She dodged the devil axe and tried to swing with her sword, but she was rusty and out of practice, so the sword fell from her grip. She pulled a second, much smaller one out and threw it to the fallen man and picked her larger one up. The fighter swung again, but there was suddenly a dark aura in the air and he sustained a near-fatal wound to the chest. As was common, the devil axe backfired and injured its wielder. Amelia snatched the axe and, with strength she had mustered during the war, threw it out of the window and into the nearby river.

As she did so, she felt a hand in her pocket. She spun round to see a man in a black cape sprinting for the door. She took a step forward, and then the sword she had passed to the fallen man was sticking out of his back, having been thrown with incredible accuracy. She turned, and helped him up. The thief was still alive, just badly injured. She helped the fallen man to the door and left without a word.

She helped him all the way back to Grado Keep, where she took off her armour to show the guards at the door who she was. A cleric came running out to heal the wounded man, and Amelia stayed by him.

"What's your name?" She asked in the softest tone she could manage.  
>"Thomas. Thomas Friend."<p>

Then he sagged back into the bed, asleep.

Duessel returned with three possible candidates for the job. The first was applying for the name Sunstone, she was a Valkyrie by the name of Gelera. She had short pink hair, contrasting sharply with her olive-green armour and her chestnut horse. The second, a large man by the name of Antilles, was a warrior going for the title of Moonstone. He was excessively tall, six feet bordering on seven, had long, shoulder-length black hair and a mask, iron, with fake golden scars. His armour was made of the same, with a golden insignia of a Wyvern and Rider hovering over Magvel. The wyvern was that of a Wyvern Knight, the protruding tooth and the two hind limbs, as well as the rider's pointed helm and spear. Magvel was made of the six regions, each made of a separate metal. Grado was fashioned from Gold, Renais from Iron, Frelia copper, Jehanna a strange bluish alloy, and Rausten a white metal. Carcino was also made of iron, but the iron coloured to be red. If inspected closely, you could see that the mountains, lakes, and forests were all preserved in intricate detail. Below it was inscribed the words 'Pugnato ist Esternalis' in an old Grado language. (Combat is eternal)

The final candidate was a tall, black woman by the name of Leah. She was a Falcoknight who rode on Oedipus, her dark horse. She wore armour of a deep green colour, and carried with her a lance that was ornately decorated. She was the only one not to bow before Amelia, but instead stood, a defiant fire blazing in her eyes. Amelia was wearing a dress she had bought in town earlier that day, and it suited her child-like features well.

"Lady 'melia, I is 'onored to be summuned 'ere to this magnificen' castle. I 'opes to do me very bes' for Grado an' its peoples." Boomed Antilles.

"Your divine majesty, it is such an honour to be called here to this place with the chance of becoming a general in our fine nation. I hope to do you proud, your ladyship."

"…" Leah remained silent. She had said nothing since their arrival in Grado Keep, and she was glaring distastefully, and with contempt at Gelera and Antilles. Duessel cleared his throat as a signal to Leah, but she continued not to speak.

"Leah? Why ain't you speakin'?" said Antilles, uncomfortable with the awkward silence in the room.

"I won't speak to some stuck-up commoner who pretends to be a queen. I was born to a noble family of Grado who are very proper and much higher up than this little filth-bag who prances around pretending to be royalty."

"Remove her from this room. Throw her in jail." Duessel made the decision for Amelia, who was staring in shock.

"I mean, look at her, the little bitch. She's just sat there gawking after I insulted her, peasant…" Her rant continued as she was dragged from the throne room.

"May I put an arrow in 'er, your 'ighness? I've 'eard 'er family is very proud of their status at the top of the food chain, so to put it. They're opp… they don't like you pushin' past them to be queen."

"I didn't push past anyone! I was appointed as queen by the monarchs of the other nations!"

Amelia was on the verge of tears, but Duessel came up to her and managed to calm her down before she embarrassed herself.

"The both of you may have accommodation in this castle for as long as it takes to choose the general. To make things clear, there are multiple spots open, so we're going to pick both of you if you are both good enough. Therefore it is not in your best interests to sabotage each other. My good friends Arctus and Ursal will show you to your rooms. Arctus! Ursal! Come here!"

Arctus, a hero in black armour and Ursal, a berserker with an almost comically oversized axe, stepped forward. Ursal led Antilles to his room in the western corridor, and Arctus led Gelera to her room in the north-east wing.

"Why don't we hire those two as generals?"

"Because," said Duessel, without using her title, "Arctus and Ursal are not to be trusted. They are not… strictly human. Lyon brought the two of them back as an experiment with the dark stone, then gave them to me as servants. I lied to our two recruits. They follow orders, but they are incapable of rational thought. If they weren't given orders, they would make their own. A dangerous thing, when they are, in effect, entombed with weapons. I told them to always stand still unless summoned and then given an order, in that case they would carry it out and then stand still again. I fear that if they became generals they would not see me as one to give orders, as I am their peer. They would divert to the next power, Leon, their deceased creator, then the emperor."

"Me?"

"No, Vigarde. They would see you as a peasant, as they saw you when they were resurrected. In the lack of any authority higher than themselves, they would run amok."

"What about Thomas Friend?"

"He's making a speedy recovery. I shall bring him in to see you as soon as possible."

Somewhere in the dungeons of Grado Keep, Leah sat bound in chains, a smile on her face.


	2. Power Grab

Warning! This will get violent!

Power Grab

Amelia, Franz, Duessel.

Messengers had been sent all over Magvel for the heroes who had fought in the war of the stones. Queen Amelia's party/banquet was to be the first time they had all met up since the war. The first people to arrive at Grado Keep were Cormag and Tana. They were greeted personally by Amelia at the gates, and shown into the Banqueting hall. A massive feast had been laid out, Grado spies having gone to great lengths to find each guest's favourite food and have it lovingly prepared. Duessel sat next to Amelia on a chair carved from Obsidian, his gemstone. At the top of the table that now dominated the great hall were chairs laid out in a row, each carved with a symbol to denote the person it is intended for. One featured a sun with a sword, laid out for Joshua, one a healing stave on the background of a star, for L'arachel, one for Ephraim, Klimt and Innes. Cormag sat by Tana, and then the rest started piling in. Dozla, Ewan, Seth, Syrene, even Myrrh had left darkling woods to join them. When everyone was assembled, Amelia announced the entertainment plans. A feast first, then light-hearted contests, designed to disguise her hunt for the new General beneath the guise of good old fun and games.

In Grado's dungeons, Leah fiddled with a lockpick her mount had dropped. She never had managed to pick a lock before, and even now, under such pressure, she found it impossible.

A man in a brown-purple coat took it from her hand and picked the lock effortlessly.

"Showtime."

"Thank you, brother."

"Gelera's put the fluid in position, as well as assumed control over the resurrected. We've even managed to swap the priest's staff."

"Aaron, is Garm in position?"

"No. I was just going down to collect it myself."

Rennac had slipped away from the party early on, with the full intent of escaping the clutches of L'arachel. He stole down to the treasure chamber, where he saw two of the finest items he had ever seen, on a plinth seven feet high. A holy black axe, lying next to a tome wrapped in monochrome leather. Gleipnir and Garm.

Rennac's plan was to steal them both, but he knew a search would reveal Garm or Gleipnir should he steal them, so his only other option was to float Garm out through an underground river. Gleipnir would be damaged irreparably by the water, so he left it behind. He was about to take Garm when a door opened, and a thief came in. Rennac locked eyes with Aaron, and they drew their swords at the same time.

"So… how've you all been? Me and master Saleh have been studying hard! I can even use Blizzard! Master Saleh had it imported from abroad for us to study! It's really powerful, but it's like bolting or eclipse. Only five uses, then the words blur. They're so tiny anyway…" Everyone except 'Uncle' Dozla, one of Ewan's greatest friends had turned away to another conversation, but Ewan carried on talking.

Moulder held his heal staff tucked into its sheath on his belt, next to a mend staff and a restore. He couldn't help but sense a different magical presence about it, but he dismissed it as nerves. He was busy talking to Natasha about the benefits of Heal over Mend, but his mind was elsewhere.

Four months ago, during the massive earthquake and landslide, a gigantic crack had opened up on Leah's land. She was a spoilt brat, but this was one thing her parents refused her. She was not allowed to even touch the substance that welled up from this crack. She stood at her window every day, watching as the crevasse was slowly filled with its dark presence. However, one day tragedy struck. Her parents had been barrelling the stuff up when they fell in. They drowned in its dark, sticky embrace. Inside Leah, something broke. Her parents were dead. In their final months she had given them only contempt. She had always wanted the throne, and this substance may prove the key. She had made barrels of it, but a spark had hit one, igniting the substance. It burned like wood, but with a massive ferocity and when a large and concentrated enough amount was ignited it was like Elfire. She dubbed it 'Dark Fluid' and this substance had been smuggled into the castle, disguised as wine barrels.

Rennac lunged first, and Aaron slid to the side in an archetypal thief dodge, countering with his blades. Rennac felt it scrape his side, and saw Aaron smile. Rennac twirled his own sword, and then plunged it into a weak point of Aaron's. Ewan had dubbed this a 'critical hit.' A killing blow aimed at a weak point. However, Aaron took an elixir and glugged it down just before he died.

"Not fair."

Rennac kicked the pedestal.

Ursal and Arctus ushered in the two general candidates, and all present applauded. Antilles and Gelera sat down at the end of the table.

"I is one of the candidates for the new general posishun. I 'ope to do Grado proud…"

The chandelier fell.

Franz shot forward to take the blow, but Duessel pulled both Amelia and Franz from the path. One of the arms clipped his. It was not a major wound, but it was still painful. Moulder reached not for the heal/berserk staff, but for the mend he carried alongside it. He had sensed the dark energies emanating from the berserk, and steered clear.

Everything happened at once. Gelera rose and pulled a berserk staff out. She fired at Amelia, but Duessel threw down his weapons and took the blow again, the spiked circles orbiting his head. He writhed and convulsed, then stood up, an orange swirl around his head. He grabbed the axe from the floor and swung it at the nearest man, Joshua, who simply leant back an inch to avoid it. Marisa was already racing along the table towards Duessel, sword out to parry only. Duessel kicked her down, and then snatched a throwing axe from Arctus.

Ursal was now racing towards the chandelier, rummaging around in the broken metal and crystal. He was searching for Garm, the tool he had been told would be there, the weapon that would be enough to murder the entire party. It was not there. Instead, it was tucked inside Rennac's coat, stained with Aaron's blood from when the plinth fell over and Garm took his head off. Duessel threw his axe at Saleh, who dropped to avoid it. It sailed over his head, and then banked back to Duessel. The swirl of berserk was fading, and Gerik dived at Duessel, pulling the two down into a wrestling match. Gerik repeatedly punched Duessel in the face until the obsidian knight was unconscious. The screams died down. Slowly, order was restored. Then Gelera took the cue to slowly leave. Leah's plan had fallen apart. The chandelier was supposed to hurt Amelia, and Moulder was supposed to use his heal staff, not knowing it had been exchanged for a Berserk early on. Amelia, Arctus and Ursal were supposed to kill the partygoers, and only the queen of Grado would be left, too horrified to continue being queen. Abdication would surely follow, and if Leah was lucky, suicide. It would save the executioner some effort. Now Gelera was exposed, and as she fled, she heard feet come racing towards her. Amelia herself was running towards her, spear in hand. Gelera sighed, and fired a bolting spell towards her quarters.

The Dark Fluid barrels stored there ignited. The substance burst into flame, a billowing ball of heat that consumed everything in its path. It shot through the north-east corridor and wing, torching guards. It reached the great hall where it finally petered out and died, but was replaced by the sound of crumbling masonry. Amelia could only stare as the tower collapsed. Her guests fled from the great hall, and out into the countryside. Amelia sagged in defeat as Gelera fled on her horse.

Leah and Oedipus landed by her.

"Grovel before the new queen of Grado."

Amelia collapsed, unconscious.

Duessel emerged from the ruins of Grado Keep. He coughed blood, and his hair was matted with masonry and blood.

"Arrest him." Said Leah. All of a sudden, Arctus and Ursal came out of the ruins. They grabbed Duessel by the shoulders and dragged him away.

Leah turned to look down at Amelia.

"Know when you are beaten, peasant. It's such a pity I have to execute the traitor. Mind you, he did blow Grado Keep up and threw you into the moat. That armour dragged you straight down, and you drowned there. That's why I inherited the country. Goodbye, Amelia."

Leah did as she had said, rolling Amelia into the moat. She sank there, and the water was slipping down her throat when hands grabbed her armour, pulling it off. She was pulled free and dragged to the surface, where her limp form lay, failing to respond to the treatment her rescuer was administering. He pressed down on her chest, and then tried to force air into her lungs. But it was no use. Amelia was too far gone.

Franz leant down and whispered in her ear.

"Please…Amelia."

She spluttered, gasping for air.

"Franz…I…failed…"

Seth knelt by her and placed a coat over her to try and warm her up.

"Lady Amelia."

"Seth…why...?"

"We will help you take back your castle."

"We…?"

She looked around. Everyone was gathered around her, with a few exceptions. Dozla, Ephraim, Joshua, Eirika, Duessel, Forde and Colm were absent.

Kyle, noticing her glance around, also knelt next to her.

"Garcia, Forde and Rennac have been captured. They will be executed at Fort Rigwald in five days time. We must act fast." He realised his words were useless.

She was asleep.

**The substance is called Crude Oil to us.**


	3. The Execution of General Duessel

The execution of General Duessel.

Because of an information leak, the execution was moved to Renvall for its superior defensive position.

Duessel was first up to the block at Castle Renvall. He stood, staring at the makeshift scaffold in the throne room. Windows had been carved through the stone walls to let more light in, so the assembled crowd could watch Duessel's head roll. Patrols roamed the rivers around the fort, and the ballistae were manned by expert snipers.

Rennac laid face-down at the bottom of the river, breathing through a special device Ewan had designed. Beside him was Garcia, also breathing through a device, and Ross, a Berserker. Rennac envied the berserker's excellent lung power and control over themselves, even in water.

A small fish swam past, and Rennac watched it lazily float by, then, quick enough to avoid anybody noticing, he speared it with his knife and slipped it into his pocket. He would eat that for his tea.

Duessel was led, still in his red armour, minus the helmet, to the scaffold. His eyes took in the design, and he snorted. Leah and Gelera were sitting on seats behind the block, so that when Duessel knelt to have his head removed, he would be kneeling before them. Ursal stood holding the axe, sunlight from the window directly in front of him shining off the blade and his horned helmet. Duessel made his way up the steps. The crowd was silent, and there was only the occasional murmur of fear. Duessel knew they feared Arctus, the man leading him to the block.

"Countrymen, I stand before you today as a condemned man, here to die."

Leah put her hand up to silence him, but Duessel ignored her. "I turned my back on my homeland in the war. I slew many of our army, some of which were relatives of the people standing in this room. I personally took the sword to many a brave warrior."

Neimi fired her shot silently, hitting one of the snipers hard in the eye socket. He was thrown back from his ballista. A patrol saw nothing, but heard the body fall. They went up to the ballista…

And then shouted as father and son erupted from the water. With as much stealth as possible, the two axe-wielders butchered the patrol.

Neimi climbed onto the ballista, darkness shrouding them as the moon went behind a cloud. She could not see Castle Renvall any more, but only the slivers of light from the windows and the torches within.

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she heard the voice of Duessel drifting from within the dark walls.

"I fought for my beliefs, my homeland and my species. And if I were on trial for my crimes in the war, I would plead guilty and willingly lay my head on the block. But I am not on trial for betrayal, treason and deserting. I am on trial for nothing more than being a pawn in the great plot of the witch who sits on the throne."

Rennac held Neimi reassuringly, wiping the tear from her face. The moon came out and they saw their mistake.

"R-Rennac… this isn't the right side…"

Rennac swore as he realised their mistake. The plan had been for Neimi to take the Ballista on the right-hand side of Castle Renvall, where she would have a clear shot into the back of Ursal's neck through a giant window. Now she could only see his head through the tiny slit in the wall designed to prevent archers firing into it.

"We'll have to move."

"N-no. I can do it."

"Neimi, nobody can manage that shot."

"My grandfather could." Said Neimi with a touch of iron returning to her voice as her confidence built. "Besides, I've got five shots."

"You're not the one-arrow wonder."

"Single-arrow legend. Besides, Zethla trained me. Duessel is my friend, and I will not let him die."

"There are guards."

"Deal with them."

"Neimi, we're going to move. If we stay here we'll be caught."

Rennac's eyes were drawn to a flash from the forest. Four men broke cover from behind the bushes and sprinted. Neimi angled her machine and loosed one shot for each, leaving only one in her arsenal.

"I ask you this. When Vigarde declared war, did you feel joy? When he slaughtered those of Renais, did you cheer? Or did you feel sorrow and grief? If there is any man, woman or child in this room who does not feel those same emotions now Leah is on the throne, I will lay my head on this block, and it shall say goodbye to my shoulders. I will apologise to my victims in the war personally. I shall shake hands with the Generals myself."

Ursal motioned, and Arctus grabbed Duessel's wrists. The big man was forced to his knees, head on the block. The obsidian general looked at his queen with contempt in his eyes.

"Grado is yours. The people are yours. Their souls, however, will never bow to you."

Ursal raised the axe.

Down it came.

Neimi fired. The shot raced upwards, the wind pushing it slightly left, following Neimi's desired course through the air. It met the window at the perfect trajectory, and it went through the second at speed and accuracy unrivalled.

The arrowhead hit Ursal's eye socket, forcing its way deep into his reanimated brain. The Berserker toppled backwards, propelled by the arrow. Duessel moved while Arctus still comprehended the death of his twin. The Obsidian general took the axe from the fallen executioner and swung it. Arctus' rectangular shield deflected the blow, and Duessel dodged a powerful swing from a steel axe. Duessel punched Arctus twice to the face, and then embedded the stolen axe in his chest.

No blood welled out; for a heartbeat is required to speed blood around the body, and neither of Lyon's two experiments had one. However, the Hero in class alone fell into two halves, separated by a diagonal cut in his torso. Leah and Gelera stood and strode from the room, desperately trying not to convey fear.

Rennac slipped in amongst the chaos of people fleeing the castle. Duessel had made the impression he needed, and it allowed him to slip down to the detention block. His beady, hawk-like eyes found the Berserker, rogue and paladin in each cell and with a flick of his fingers (metaphorically) had all three of them out.

Amelia was waiting by Oedipus when Leah found her mount. Vanessa was with her, her expertise with pegasi giving her the edge to control the rare black Pegasus.

Leah smirked, and drew her spear.

"It looks like the peasant's got a friend. A soldier? Quaint, commoner, quaint."

Amelia pulled her axe from a holder on her back, and removed her general's helmet. She experimentally twirled the killer axe in her hand, but knew that Leah's throwing lance could easily trump her weapon. Vanessa pulled her own killer lance out, and the odds turned.

Gelera came charging in, tome in hand, but Ross, stepping from shadow, stopped her with his muscular arms, flipping her over and throwing her into the dirt with all the fury of a boy out to save his friends.

He drew his own axe, but Garcia caught his hand before Gelera was butchered. The two locked eyes, then Ross punched Gelera before she could get up.

Leah could only watch as the numbers grew hopelessly unbalanced. Marisa and Gerik were leading the prisoners from the prison, and murder was in the eyes of them all.

There was a roar from behind her as three of her most faithful Wyvern Lords dived down, and the eyes and weapons were locked on them. Gelera picked herself up and attacked Vanessa with the thunder. The Pegasus rider dodged each shot, and then lunged forward. Gelera narrowly avoided being skewered. Gelera smiled, and then disappeared. She reappeared mounted, and pulled Leah up onto her horse, the two riding off in a cloud of dust for Grado Keep.


End file.
